1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement in inflatable bag means for absorbing energy produced by side impact forces on a vehicle body. More particularly, the invention relates to an inflatable bag means having utility in automotive vehicles for cushioning contact between an occupant and structural interior members of a vehicle during a collision involving a side impact.
2. State of the Art
Inflatable occupant restraint devices for restraining occupants of automotive vehicles during frontal collisions are known in the art. Inflatable bags commonly known as air bags are inflated rapidly in response to the onset of a collision. An inflated air bag provides a cushioning restraint for an occupant of a vehicle from harmful contact with the steering wheel, instrument panel and windshield.
Although of great utility in situations involving frontal collisions, the degree of protection that is provided by such inflatable occupant restraint devices for a vehicle occupant during a collision involving impact on a side of the vehicle is less than desirable. In a side impact collision, the occupant is exposed to possible injurious contact with the door or other elements including the windows on the sides of the vehicle interior.
It has been proposed in the prior art to provide inflatable air bags for the protection for an occupant including the driver seated adjacent to a side panel of a vehicle during a collision involving impact with the side panel by another vehicle.
The state of the art relating to the use of air bags for absorbing energy produced by a side impact force on a vehicle body is represented by the disclosures of the following patents and patent application:
______________________________________ Patent No. Issue Date Patentee ______________________________________ U.S. 4,966,388 Oct. 30, 1990 C. Y. Werner, et al. Jap. 2-303951 Dec. 17, 1990 Kiyoshi Mamiya ______________________________________ Patent Laid Open Application Date Applicant ______________________________________ Jap. He14-46836 Feb. 17, 1992 Mazda Motor Corporation ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,388 discloses an inflatable air bag restraint that is placed below the window opening within a door of a vehicle. An impact sensor and an inflator in flow communication with the bag are placed within the door. Inflated upwardly, when activated, the air bag extends over the window opening in the door and provides a cushion that prevents the occupant from striking elements of the door and restrains the head of the occupant from being ejected out of the window opening. With this arrangement no cushioning protection against side impact forces is provided for the hip and torso of the occupant.
Japanese patent 2-303951 discloses in combination with an air bag main unit inflated by an inflator for protecting the occupant of a vehicle during a front part collision of a vehicle, a subbag part distal to the inflator, which subbag part is provided successively in line with a rear end side part of the bag main unit to be inflated at the time of inflation of the bag main unit. The subbag is inflated between the occupant and a door in the vehicle body side part to prevent the occupant from colliding against the door. With this arrangement inflation of the subbag part is delayed pending filling of the bag main unit. Thus, initially, no protection is provided to impede movement of the hip and torso of the occupant into colliding contact with the door.
Japanese application He14-46836 discloses a cell or receptacle provided on the interior side of a vehicle body. Contained within the cell are a deflated primary energy absorption bag, a deflated secondary energy absorption bag, and a separate inflator for each bag. Upon activation of the inflator, the primary energy absorption bag inflates downwardly along the side interiorly of the vehicle and the secondary absorption bag inflates upwardly. This arrangement allows the primary energy absorption bag and the secondary absorption bag to be filled at the same time but requires the use of a separate inflator for each of the bags. The need for a separate inflator to fill each of the bags not only adds to the cost but introduces complication into the manufacturing and assembling of the equipment.
Thus, there is a need and a demand for improvement in inflatable air bag means for absorbing energy produced by a side impact force to a vehicle body thereby to provide a greater degree of protection for an occupant seated adjacent to the side of the vehicle body that is impacted.